Canal closures

Independent. Built from Canal & River Trust's own published notices, with no affiliation to or endorsement by the Trust.

The archive / Northampton Arm (GU Canal)

Northampton Lock Flight

A navigation closure on the Northampton Arm (GU Canal), started 27 July 2026 — still shut after 57 days. No reopening date is published.

Source: this notice on canalrivertrust.org.uk

Waterway
Northampton Arm (GU Canal)
Region
East Midlands
Started
27 July 2026
Status
Still shut
Days shut
57
CRT reason
Low Water Levels
Cause
Weather
Asset
Canal or river

Cause and asset are read from the notice prose, not CRT fields; the reason above is CRT's own.

Where

Updates · 3

12 days with no update after the last one.

10 September 2026 · 23 days since the previous

Recent rainfall has not improved conditions enough to allow the Northampton Arm to fully reopen. However, having reviewed the current situation, we believe that a limited period of navigation can be accommodated without having a significant impact on water resources elsewhere on the Grand Union Canal.   To support boaters and boating businesses, the Northampton Arm will therefore temporarily reopen from 9am on Tuesday 22 September until 3pm on Wednesday 23 September, with the last boats entering Locks 1 and 12 no later than 2pm.  This temporary opening is intended to provide an opportunity for essential boat movements while conditions remain under close review. At the end of this period the Northampton Arm will need to close again.  We will monitor the impact of this opening and continue to assess water availability. While we cannot yet confirm whether further navigation windows will be possible during October, we hope that additional opportunities may be available if conditions allow.  Please continue to check these notices for updates and plan your journey carefully, allowing sufficient time to navigate through restricted areas of the network.

18 August 2026 · 28 days since the previous

Due to the ongoing dry weather and drought conditions affecting parts of England, The Northampton Arm remains closed. We are continuing to monitor conditions and will update this notice as the situation develops.

21 July 2026 · 0 days since the previous

Reservoir holdings feeding the Northampton Arm are lower than normal for the time of year. This is a result of the prolonged dry weather, water loss through evaporation during the heat wave, and, in some instances, paddles being left open or leaks in the infrastructure. To help us conserve water and maintain safe navigation, we will be closing the Northampton Arm to passage from 3pm on Monday 27th July. Lock 1 and 12 will be locked. The situation is being continually monitored and reviewed; however, we encourage all boaters currently on the Arm to consider moving to the main line while navigation remains possible. We will update this notice as the situation develops.

Cite this: Canal closures, “Northampton Lock Flight”, https://crt-stoppages.pages.dev/notice/019f857f-f2e0-7393-98e0-432c34ceedcf.

Every closure on Northampton Arm (GU Canal) · Download the data · Method and limits